Method for manufacturing a component

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing a component is provided. The method includes providing one or more notches on a surface of the component. Further, depositing a coating on the surface to provide a thickness of the coating on the surface, is performed. The method also includes removing, at least partially, the coating from the surface such that the thickness of the coating over the notches is different from the thickness of the coating on the surface adjacent to the notches.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a component, and more particularly toa method for manufacturing a component for creating fracture zones in acoating secured on a surface of the component.

BACKGROUND

Components such as track bushings used in the track pins for linkingtrack links in an endless track of a track type machine, such as anearthmoving machine, are subjected to severe operating environment. Theends of the track bushing and the inner surface of the track bushingadjacent its two ends are the main bearing surfaces that respectivelyslide against the track seal and the track pin. Dirt and debris tend towear the ends of the track bushings sliding against the sealing surfaceof a track seal.

Therefore, a coating is generally provided on the ends of the trackbushing. The coating may be of a corrosion and abrasion resistantmaterial that prevents the corrosion and erosion of the ends of thetrack bushing. The coating may also improve surface finish of the endsof the track bushing so that they are more resistant to friction andwear. However, the coating is susceptible to damage during assembly anddisassembly of track links. During assembly or disassembly of bushingwith track links, the edges of the coating may rip off from the bushing.This rip off may progress along the entire surface of the bushing andcauses chipping of the coating from the entire surface of the bushing.This may reduce the life of the bushing, which is undesirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,588 discloses a method for providing memory elementson a substrate. The memory elements are provided by partially removingthe coating from various locations on substrate and thereby formingprotrusion on the surface. However, providing the memory elements on asubstrate by partially removing the coating is different fromcontrolling chipping of the coating from a surface of a component.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method for manufacturing acomponent is disclosed. The method includes providing one or morenotches on a surface of the component. Thereafter, depositing a coatingon the surface to provide a thickness of the coating on the surface iscarried out. Next, the method includes removing, at least partially, thecoating from the surface such that the thickness of the coating over thenotches is different from the thickness of the coating on the surfaceadjacent to the notches.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a bushing for a tracklink assembly of a machine is provided. The bushing includes an end facethat has a surface. The surface includes one or more notches. A coatingis secured on the surface, where a thickness of the coating secured overeach of the notches is different from a thickness of the coating overthe surface adjacent to the each of the notches.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a component with asurface, is disclosed. The component has a coating secured on thesurface. Further, one or more fracture zones for controlling chipping ofthe coating from the surface is also provided. The fracture zonesinclude a different thickness of the coating relative to a thickness ofthe coating adjacent to the fracture zones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an exemplary track link assembly, inaccordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the track link assembly depicting anassembly of two track links, in accordance with an embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of a bushing of the track linkassembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of a bushing of the track linkassembly in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the disclosure;and

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for manufacturing a component, in accordancewith an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates generally to a component for a machine.The machine may be an excavator, a wheel loader, a track type tractor, arotary mixer or any other machine such as a construction machine, amining machine, an agricultural machine, etc. In a specific embodiment,the present disclosure relates to a bushing for a track link assembly ofa track type machine, such as an excavator or a track type tractor.While the following description relates to a bushing for an endlesstrack, a person having ordinary skill in the art should readilyunderstand that the present disclosure may be adapted for various othercomponents of various other machines.

Referring to FIG. 1, one exemplary embodiment of a track link assembly100 for a machine is illustrated. As shown, the track link assembly 100is entrained about a track roller frame 102 of the machine. The tracklink assembly 100 engages a drive sprocket that provides motive force tothe track link assembly 100, which in turn, drives the machine in a wellknown manner. The track link assembly 100 may also be entrained about anidler 104 that supports the track link assembly 100 on one end of thetrack roller frame 102.

The track link assembly 100 includes a plurality of track links 106 thathave a first end portion 108 and a second end portion 110. The tracklink assembly 100 is formed by coupling the first end portion 108 ofeach of the track links 106 to the second end portion 110 of each of thetrack links 106. The first end portion 108 and the second end portion110 are coupled together by using a pin 112.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pin 112 is inserted inside bores 114 and 116 ofthe first end portion 108 and the second end portion 110, respectively,to pivotally couple the track links 106. The pin 112 may be secured tothe first end portion 108 of the track links 106 by interference fitwithin the bores 114.

Further, a component such as a bushing 118 is positioned about the pin112. The bushing 118 includes a first end portion 120, a second endportion 122, and a bore 124. The first end portion 120 and the secondend portion 122 are positioned within the bores 116 and are secured tothe second end portion 110 by interference fit or other suitablesecuring means. The bore 124 extends through the bushing 118 between itsrespective end portions 120, 122 and is of a sufficient diameter toreceive the pin 112 to allow relative rotation between the pin 112 andthe bore 124.

The bushing 118 further includes a first end face 126 and a second endface 128. The first end face 126 and the second end face 128 abut afirst seal member 130 and a second seal member 132, respectively. Forease in understanding and reference, further description is focusedtowards aspects of the first end face 126 alone. However, it will beunderstood that the aspects disclosed for the first end face 126 isequivalently applicable to the second end face 128 as well.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first end face 126, hereinafter referred to asan end face 126, includes a surface 134. The surface 134 includes one ormore notches 136. The notches 136 may extend around a central axis A-Aof the bushing 118. Further, a coating 138 is secured on the surface134. The coating 138 is secured to the surface 134 by depositing asuitable wear and abrasion resistant material on the surface 134.Further, the coating 138 includes one or more fracture zones 140 tocontrol chipping of the coating 138 from the surface 134, such as duringan assembly of the bushing 118 into the bores 116. The fracture zones140 includes a different thickness of the coating 138 relative to thesurface 134 adjacent to the fracture zones 140. As shown in FIG. 3, eachof the fracture zones 140 corresponds to an area of the coating 138above each of the notches 136 that extend along the notches 136. Asshown in FIG. 3, the notches 136 are protrusions extending outwardlyfrom the surface 134. In such a case, the thickness of the coating 138above the notches 136 is less than the thickness of the coating 138above the surface 134 adjacent to the notches 136. The thickness of thecoating 138 at the fracture zones 140 or above the notches 136 isreduced by removing, at least partly, the coating 138. In an embodiment,the coating 138 may be omitted above the notches 136. As, the coating138 above the notches is omitted, there is a zero thickness of thecoating 138 above the notches 136 which is different than the thicknessof the coating 138 on the surface 134 adjacent to the notches 136. Insuch a case, the surface 134 corresponding to the notches 136 isexposed. The exposed surface 134 above the notches 136 creates thefracture zones 140 for chipping of the coating 138.

Referring to FIG. 4, a bushing 118 a is shown according to alternativeembodiment of the disclosure. The bushing 118 a includes one or morenotches 136 a that are grooves formed on the surface 134 of the bushing118 a. The notches 136 a may extend around a central axis A-A of thebushing 118 a. Further, the coating 138 includes one or more fracturezones 140 a to control chipping of the coating 138 from the surface 134.The fracture zones 140 a include a different thickness of coating 138relative to the surface 134 adjacent to the fracture zones 140 a. Thefracture zones 140 correspond to an area of the coating 138 above thenotches 136 a and extend along the notches 136 a. In the illustratedembodiment, the thickness of the coating 138 over the notches 136 a ismore than the thickness of the coating 138 above the surface 134adjacent to the notches 136 a.

Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary method 500 for manufacturing thebusing 118, 118 a is provided. The method includes a step 502. At thestep 502, one or more notches 136, 136 a are provided on the surface134. The notches 136, 136 a may be formed on the surface 134 by anysuitable method, such as, but not limited to, machining, turning,additive manufacturing, casting, milling, etc., or in any combinationthereof, known to a person skilled in the art.

In an embodiment (as shown in FIG. 3), protrusions are shown as notches136. The protrusions may be formed on the surface 134 by performing aturning operation on the surface 134. The turning operation is performedto remove material from the surface 134 in such a manner that arelatively lesser material is removed at one or more locations on thesurface 134 as compared to the rest of the surface 134. By doing so,notches 136 in the form of protrusions are formed on the surface 134 atthe one or more locations. In an embodiment, the protrusions may beformed on the surface 134 by depositing a material on the surface 134 byadditive manufacturing method such as by a 3D printing method.

In an embodiment (as shown in FIG. 4), grooves are shown as notches 136a. The grooves may be formed on the surface 134 by removing materialfrom one more locations at the surface 134. The grooves may be formed byperforming a turning operation at the surface 134. The grooves may beformed by removing more material at the one or more locations relativeto rest of the surface 134. In an embodiment, the grooves may be formedon the surface 134 by performing a punching operation.

The method 500 further includes a step 504. At the step 504, a coating138 is deposited on the surface 134. The coating 138 may be a thermalspray coating. Although, a thermal spray coating is contemplated, othersuitable coatings known to a person skilled in the art may also beutilized. Deposition of the coating 138 may be performed by a processselected from the group consisting of a vapor deposition process, asputtering deposition process, a plasma spray process, a high velocityoxygen fuel process, and a twin wire arc process.

Thereafter, the method 500 moves to a step 506. At the step 506, thecoating 138 is removed partially from the surface 134. Removal of thecoating 138 is performed so as to reduce the thickness of the coating138 deposited over the surface 134. The coating 138 may be removed byperforming a polishing operation on the coating 138. Although, thepolishing operation is contemplated for removing the coating 138, othercoating removal process, such as, but not limited to, a machining, alathing, a grinding or any other suitable process, known in the artwould also apply. The removal of the coating 138 from the surface 134 isperformed in such a manner that the thickness of the coating 138 abovethe notches 136, 136 a is different relative to thickness of the coating138 above rest of the surface 134 or surface 134 adjacent to the notches136, 136 a. Thereby, creating the fracture zones 140, 140 a over thenotches 136, 136 a, respectively. The removal of the coating 138 isperformed in such a manner that a uniform thickness of the coating 138from a top layer of the coating 138 is removed.

In an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the coating 138 depositedover the surface 134 is 5 micrometer. During a removal process, such asa straight cut removal process performed linearly across the surface134, a uniform thickness of 2 micrometer is removed from the surface134. In doing so, the thickness of the coating 138 that remains over thenotches 136 becomes less than 3 micrometer, whereas the thickness of thecoating remaining over the rest of the surface 134 becomes 3 micrometer.In an another embodiment, the thickness of the coating 138 that remainsover the notches 136 becomes zero micrometer, whereas the thickness ofthe coating 138 above the surface 134 adjacent to the notches 136becomes 3 micrometer. Further, in case of the bushing 118 a with notches136 a, the thickness of the coating 138 remaining above the notches 136a, after the removal process, becomes more than 3 micrometer as comparedto the thickness of the coating 138 above the surface 134 adjacent tothe notches 136 a. Therefore, the removal of the coating 138 from thesurface 134 creates fracture zones 140, 140 a over the notches 136, 136a.

As the thickness of the coating 138 above the notches 136 becomes lessthan the thickness of the coating 138 on the surface 134 adjacent to thenotches 136, weakened coating sections are created above the notches136, thereby forming the fracture zones 140. Similarly, As the thicknessof the coating 138 above the notches 136 a becomes more than thethickness of the coating 138 on the surface 134 adjacent to the notches136 a, strengthened coating sections are created above the notches 136a, thereby forming the fracture zones 140 a.

In an embodiment, the notches 136, 136 a may be omitted. In such case,the fracture zones 140 may be formed directly over the coating 138 byremoving coating 138 at least partially or completely at one or morelocations on the surface 134. As coating material is removed, thethickness of the coating 138 at these locations becomes less than thethickness of the coating 138 adjacent to these locations, weakening thecoating 138 at these locations, and leading to the creation of thefracture zones 140.

Conversely, the fracture zones 140 a may be formed by depositing extracoating material at one or more locations over the coating 138, as well.As extra coating material is deposited, the thickness of the coating 138at these locations becomes more than the thickness of the coating 138adjacent to these locations, strengthening the coating 138 at theselocations, and thus leading to the creation of fracture zones 140 aadjacent to these locations.

Although the present disclosure details the application of the coatingon the end face 126 of the bushing 118, 118 a, it may be contemplatedthat fracture zones 140, 140 a may be formed elsewhere on the bushing118, 118 a that requires a coating layer and which is prone to fracturescaused perhaps due to repeated assembly and disassembly. Moreover, thebushing 118, 118 a may be viewed as being exemplary in nature, and thusvarious other components that require a coating may also be similarlycontemplated to include fracture zones to control chipping of associatedcoating.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

During assembly, as the bushing 118, 118 a is inserted into the bores116 of the track links 106, a portion of the coating 138 may start tochip away from the surface 134. As the coating 138 on the surface 134includes weakened and/or strengthened sections, termed as the fracturezones 140, 140 a, it is most likely that a fracture of coating 138 maystart to occur at the fracture zones 140, 140 a. Fracture zones 140, 140a facilitate a portion of the coating 138 to break away rather uniformlyfrom the bushing 118, 118 a, while helping keep a substantial portion ofthe coating 138 intact over the surface 134 of the bushing 118, 118 a.In that way, such a provision mitigates the chances of excess coatingportions to be chipped away from the bushing 118, 118 a, leading toincreased durability and prolonged use of the bushing 118, 118 a.Although an assembly of the bushing 118, 118 a is explained, thefracture zones 140, 140 a of the bushing 118, 118 a similarly controlschipping of the coating 138 from the surface 134 during disassembly ofthe bushing 118, 118 a with track links 106, as well.

Although the disclosure is explained in reference with the bushing 118,118 a of the track link assembly 100, the foregoing disclosure alsofinds utility in a variety of components such a track pin, bushing of alinkage assembly of a machine, a shaft etc., which includes coatings onone or more surfaces. Such components may be provided with fracturezones on an associated coating by a similar manufacturing method as thatof the bushing 118, 118 a to control chipping of the associated coating.Therefore, the disclosed embodiments may be used to prevent the chippingaway of useful portions of a coating secured on a component that comesin contact with a surface, relative to which an assembly of thecomponent is required.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown anddescribed with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may becontemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems andmethods without departing from the spirit and scope of what isdisclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within thescope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims andany equivalents thereof

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a component, the method comprising: providing one or more notches on a surface of the component; depositing a coating on the surface to provide a thickness of the coating on the surface; and removing, at least partially, the coating from the surface such that the thickness of the coating over the notches is different from the thickness of the coating on the surface adjacent to the notches.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the coating is performed by a process selected from a group consisting of a vapor deposition process, a sputtering deposition process, a plasma spray process, a high velocity oxygen fuel process, and a twin wire arc process.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the coating comprises one or more of machining, lathing, grinding, polishing.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more fracture zones for the coating are defined by a change in the thickness of the coating on the each of the one or more notches relative to the surface adjacent to the notches.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the one or more notches comprises one or more of machining, additive manufacturing, turning, polishing.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating is a thermal spray coating.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a bushing for a track link assembly.
 8. A bushing for a track link assembly of a machine, the bushing comprising: an end face having a surface, the surface including one or more notches; and a coating secured on the surface, wherein a thickness of the coating secured over each of the notches is different than a thickness of the coating over the surface adjacent to the each of the notches.
 9. The bushing of claim 8, wherein the one or more notches are protrusions.
 10. The bushing of claim 9, wherein the thickness of the coating secured over each of the notches is less than the thickness of the coating over the surface adj acent to the each of the notches.
 11. The bushing of claim 8, wherein the one or more notches are grooves.
 12. The bushing of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the coating secured over each of the notches is more than the thickness of the coating over the surface adj acent to the each of the notches.
 13. The bushing of claim 8, wherein the coating is a thermal spray coating.
 14. The bushing of claim 8, wherein one or more fracture zones for the coating are defined by a change in the thickness of the coating on the each of the one or more notches relative to the surface adjacent to the notches.
 15. A component having a surface, the component comprising: a coating secured on the surface; and one or more fracture zones for controlling chipping of the coating from the surface, wherein each of the one or more fracture zones include a different thickness of the coating relative to a thickness of the coating adjacent to each of the one or more fracture zones.
 16. The component of claim 15 further comprising one or more notches on the surface.
 17. The component of claim 16, wherein the one or more fracture zones correspond to the coating secured over the one or more notches.
 18. The component of claim 16, wherein the one or more notches are grooves.
 19. The component of claim 16, wherein the one or more notches are protrusions.
 20. The component of claim 15, wherein the coating is a thermal spray coating. 